UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
| FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, Plaintiff,
v.
TOUCHNET, INC., TOUCHTONE TELECOMMUNICATIONS & ADVERTISING, INC., ERIC CARINO and
MALISSA CARINO,
Defendants. |
|
Civ. No. 98-0176 R STIPULATED TEMPORARY
RESTRAINING ORDER |
Plaintiff, the Federal Trade Commission ("Commission" or FTC),
having filed a complaint for a permanent injunction and other relief, including
restitution to consumers, pursuant to Sections 13(b) and 19 of the Federal Trade
Commission Act (FTC Act), 15 U.S.C. §§ 53(b) and 57b, to obtain preliminary
and permanent injunctive relief, rescission, restitution, disgorgement and other equitable
relief for defendants violations of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45(a)
and the FTCs Trade Regulation Rule entitled "Disclosure Requirements and
Prohibitions Concerning Franchising and Business Opportunity Ventures ("the Franchise
Rule"), 16 C.F.R. Part 436, and having moved for a noticed temporary restraining
order and for an order to show cause why a preliminary injunction should not be granted
pursuant to Rule 65(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Commission and
defendants TouchNet, Inc., TouchTone Telecommunications & Advertising, Inc., Eric
Carino and Malissa Carino, hereinafter collectively referred to as "defendants,"
having agreed to the following, the Court now orders:
- This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of this case and there is good cause
to believe it will have jurisdiction over all parties hereto.
- There is good cause to believe the Commission will ultimately succeed in establishing
that defendants have engaged in and are likely to engage in acts and practices that
violate Section 5(a) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45(a).
- There is good cause to believe that immediate and irreparable damage will be done to the
public and to this Court's ability to grant full and effective relief among the parties
hereto absent entry of this Order.
- Weighing the equities and considering the Commission's likelihood of ultimate success, a
Temporary Restraining Order is in the public interest.
ORDER
I. - CEASE AND DESIST
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that, defendants are hereby temporarily restrained and enjoined
from:
A. Making, directly or by implication, orally, visually, or in writing, in connection
with the advertising, offering for sale or sale of any franchise or business venture, any
statement or representation of material fact that is false or misleading, including, but
not limited to, any false or misleading representation about the earnings a person is
likely to receive; and
B. Violating any provision of the Franchise Rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 436, including, but
not limited to, any failure to:
- provide any prospective franchisee with a basic written disclosure document containing
the information required under 16 C.F.R. § 436.1(a) of the Franchise Rule, in the manner
and within the times stated in the Franchise Rule; and
- provide any prospective franchisee with an earnings claim document, as described in 16
C.F.R § 436.1(b) - (e) of the Franchise Rule, in the manner and within the times stated
in the Franchise Rule.
II. - MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that defendants are hereby temporarily restrained and enjoined
from:
A. Failing to create and maintain books, records, and accounts which, in reasonable
detail, accurately, fairly, and completely reflect the incomes, disbursements,
transactions, and use of monies by defendants.
B. Destroying, erasing, mutilating, concealing, altering, transferring or otherwise
disposing of, in any manner, directly or indirectly, any contracts, accounting data,
correspondence, advertisements, seminar materials, computer tapes, disks, or other
computerized records, books, written or printed records, handwritten notes, telephone
logs, telephone scripts, or other audio or video tape recordings, receipt books, invoices,
postal receipts, ledgers, personal and business canceled checks and check registers, bank
statements, appointment books, copies of federal, state or local business or personal
income or property tax returns, and other documents or records of any kind that relate to
the business practices or business or personal finances of any defendant.
III. - DUTIES OF ASSET HOLDERS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, except as stipulated by the parties or as directed by
further order of the Court, any financial or brokerage institution, business entity, or
person that holds, controls, or maintains custody of any account or asset, whether
tangible or intangible, real or personal, or held at some time since January 1, 1997, of
defendants, shall:
A. Provide counsel for plaintiff within five business days of receiving a copy of this
Order, a certified statement setting forth:
- The identification number of each account or asset titled in the name, individually or
jointly, of any of these defendants, or held on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any of
these defendants, including all trust accounts managed on behalf of these defendants or
subject to any of these defendants control;
- The balance of each identified account, or a description of the nature and value of the
asset as of the close of business on the day on which this Order is served, and, if the
account or other asset has been closed or removed since January 1, 1997, the date closed
or removed, the total funds removed in order to close the account, and the name of the
person or entity to whom the account or other asset was remitted; and
- The identification and location of any safe deposit box that is either titled in the
name, individually or jointly, of any of these defendants, or is otherwise subject to
access by any of these defendants.
B. Upon request and within five business days, provide to counsel for plaintiff copies
of all records or other documentation pertaining to any and all accounts or assets
described in Paragraph A above, including, but not limited to, originals or copies of
account applications, account statements, signature cards, checks, drafts, deposit
tickets, transfers to and from the accounts, all other debit and credit instruments or
slips, currency transaction reports, 1099 forms, and safe deposit box logs.
IV. - SERVICE OF TRO
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that copies of this Order may be served by first class mail,
overnight delivery, facsimile, or personally, by employees or agents of the FTC, upon any
bank, savings and loan institution, credit union, financial institution, brokerage house,
escrow agent, money market or mutual fund, title company, commodity trading company,
common carrier, storage company, trustee, commercial mail receiving agency, mail holding
or forwarding company, or any other person, partnership, corporation, or legal entity that
may be in possession of any records, assets, property, or property right of any defendant
or other person, partnership, corporation, or legal entity that may be subject to any
provision of this Order. For purposes of service on anyone in possession of records,
assets, property, or property rights, actual notice of this Order shall include notice
from service by facsimile transmission of the first page, Sections IV and V, and the
signature page of this Order, provided that this notice is followed within five business
days by delivery of a complete copy of this Order.
V. - DEFENDANTS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each defendant, to the extent not already provided, shall,
within four business days from service of this Order, prepare and deliver to counsel for
the Commission completed financial statements on the forms attached to this Order. The
completed financial statements shall be accurate as of the date of service of this Order
upon the defendants. The defendants shall attach to these completed financial statements
copies of all state and federal income and property tax returns for each individual and
entity since January 1, 1995 and copies of all policies of insurance in effect since
January 1, 1997, with attachments and schedules thereto, insuring against loss of, or
damage to, real or personal property owned or held by or for any defendant.
VI. - CREATION OF OTHER BUSINESSES
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that defendants are hereby temporarily restrained and enjoined
from creating, operating or controlling any business entity, whether newly-formed or
previously inactive, including any partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, sole
proprietorship, or corporation, without first providing the Commission with a written
statement disclosing: (1) the name of the business entity; (2) the address and telephone
number of the business entity; (3) the names of the business entity's officers, directors,
principals, managers and employees; and (4) a detailed description of the business
entity's intended activities.
VII. - EXPEDITED DISCOVERY
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that discovery shall be governed by the following time lines: the
deposition of any person, in any judicial district, can, pursuant to FRCP 30(a), be taken
at any time after the date of this Order, upon three days notice; pursuant to FRCP 33,
responses to any interrogatories shall be within five days after service of the
interrogatories; pursuant to FRCP 34, responses to any request for production of documents
shall be within five days after service of the request; and, pursuant to FRCP 36,
responses to any request for admissions shall be within five days after service of the
request.
VIII. - CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to Section 604(1) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act,
15 U.S.C. § 1681b(1), any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report
concerning any defendant to the plaintiff.
IX. - FILING OF PLEADINGS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that defendants shall file their opposition, including any
declarations, exhibits, memoranda, or other evidence on which defendants intend to rely,
not less than three business days before the hearing on the order to show cause why a
preliminary injunction should not issue. Defendants shall serve copies of all these
materials on plaintiff by delivery or facsimile to designated counsel for the Federal
Trade Commission, at 915 Second Avenue, Suite 2896, Seattle, Washington 98174, prior to
4:00 p.m. on the day that it is filed.
X. - WITNESSES AT HEARINGS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that if any party to this action intends to present the testimony
of any witness at the hearing on a preliminary injunction in this matter, that party
shall, at least seventy-two hours prior to the scheduled date and time of hearing, file
with this Court and serve on counsel for the other party, a statement of the name,
address, and telephone number of that witness, and either a summary of the witness'
expected testimony, or the witness' declaration or affidavit revealing the substance of
the witness' expected testimony; and that, after the service of the statement, the served
party thereafter shall have forty-eight hours from the time of service of the witness
information to provide information to the Court and to the serving party for any witness
whose testimony the served party intends to present.
XII. - EXPIRATION
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Temporary Restraining Order granted herein shall be in
effect until such time as any party renews the Motion for Preliminary Injunction and the
Court rules on the Motion or the parties stipulate and the Court approves a Stipulated
Preliminary Injunction or a Stipulated Permanent Injunction.
XIII. - RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Court shall retain jurisdiction of this matter for all
purposes.
SO ORDERED, this _____ day of February, 1998, at _______.
______________________________
Barbara Rothstein
United States District Judge
Jointly stipulated to and submitted by the parties:
FOR PLAINTIFF FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
__________________________
Joe Lipinsky WSBA #25446 |
__________________________
Kathryn Decker WSBA# 12389 |
|
|
FOR DEFENDANTS TOUCHNET AND TOUCHTONE
___________________________
President, Eric Carino
| FOR DEFENDANT ERIC CARINO |
FOR DEFENDANT MALISSA CARINO |
__________________________
Eric Carino |
__________________________
Malissa Carino |
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